2013 Holiday Gift Guide for the Outdoors

Find something for the outdoors-lover on your list.

When the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, it can mean only one thing: time for the annual Holiday Gift Guide for the Outdoors.

With Thanksgiving falling later than usual this year, there is less shopping time between the start of deer season and Christmas Day, so holiday shopping has been fast and furious, and full of promotions for heading to the stores and the cyber sites.

With all of the hubbub basically targeting shoppers in general, we've put together some items for those people shopping for the outdoors lovers among us.

For the angler on your list, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission offers fishing license vouchers either online (at http://www.pa.wildlifelicense.com) or at any one of the more than 900 issuing agents throughout the state where licenses are sold.

Fishing licenses cost $22.70 per single year for resident anglers, and also are available in three-year ($64.70) and five-year ($106.70) versions. Trout/salmon stamps and Lake Erie permits are available in matching time frames.

We like to push local merchants so that money spent in our community helps our local mom-and-pop shops, so purchasing the vouchers (or licenses) at local shops allows your favorite shop owner a modest fee to help keep them in business.

Local Trout Unlimited chapters are running fly-tying classes over the winter, and purchasing one of those courses for one, two or more family members is a great way to share togetherness while building a new skill to have fun with while fishing.

The Hokendauqua Chapter of TU is holding its annual series of eight two-hour fly-tying classes beginning 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 4, through Feb. 22 at the Northampton Middle School Cafeteria. All materials and tools will be provided. The cost is $30 for adults. Students 18-and-under are free. For more information contact Dale Ott at 610-262-7598, or check the chapter website (search Hokey Trout Unlimited) for an application.

The Forks of The Delaware Chapter of Trout Unlimited will conduct its eight-week fly-tying course on Monday evenings beginning 6;30 p.m. Jan. 6 at Arndt's Lutheran Church, 1851 Arndt Road, Forks Township. Registration is $25 and covers all the materials needed, but the course is limited to 25 participants. For information or to register, contact Thom Beverly at kbeverly@rcn.com or call 610-393-6663.

If you're looking to kick off your outdoors adventure with a hearty breakfast, check out the latest waffle maker from Chef's Choice, the Avondale-based company that makes some of the best dummy-proof knife sharpeners on the market. Released just in time for deer camp this year, and perfect for a Christmas-morning breakfast, the Chef'sChoice Sportsman™ Classic WafflePro® Model #853 has been released with a suggested price of $49.99. What makes this product so unique is that it imprints the head of a buck on each side of the waffle, making them two at a time as little as three minutes apart from the time you pour the batter into the electric form. It also has several different heat settings so that you can determine the browness of your waffle, as well as its crispiness.

If you want to be comfortable in whatever you're doing outdoors in the winter, a good base layer is critical to maintaining body warmth while wicking away the moisture produced by sweat. While technical fabrics are all the rage, merino wool remains the one natural source that keeps you warm and dry in cold weather or cool and dry in hot weather.

Merino specialist Icebreaker (www.icebreaker.com) has unveiled its first-ever hunting and fishing collection with a product line that includes base layers, mid-layers, jackets, socks and accessories for men and women, with Mossy Oak Break-Up Infinity® offered throughout the collection.

Safety is critical in any outdoor situation, and being able to treat minor injuries and cuts is important. The Kaufmann Mercantile Everyday Metal First Aid Kit (http://kaufmann-mercantile.com) costs $69.90. The ANSI-certified kit includes medical essentials including bandages, antibacterial creams, cold packs and CPR mouth protectors and barriers.

Combat chafing and dry skin with Uberlube (www.uberlube.com), a lotion designed to prevent garment chafing in warmer temperatures while keeping skin hydrated in colder temps. Uberlube is a high-performing, long-lasting silicone lubricant.

With the longer nights and less daylight, what kid from 4 to 100 doesn't like getting a new flashlight?

Energizer (www.energizer.com) has a variety of products for every need and is constantly improving its affordable headlamp products.

The LED 3-in-1 with Light Fusion Technology powers up to 150 lumens in area mode for up to 100 hours, and 100 lumens of focused beam for 10 hours.

Energizer has four lights with Light Fusion Technology ($19.99-$29.99) that are likely much more compact than what most outdoor-lovers currently use.